Our History

The Maryland Assembly on School Based Health Care (MASBHC) was created as an advocacy organization to represent school based health centers in 1997 in response to changes to reimbursement to school based health centers in Maryland and the growing number of school based health centers in the state. The former Baltimore City Health Commissioner, Dr Peter Beilenson appointed the first executive board who then went on to create the infrastructure of the organization including by laws and membership. State grant funding supported MASBHC and continues today. These funds are used to support the technical assistance and training component of the organization.

MASBHC has a multidisciplinary membership that is central to its identity. It has had an all volunteer staff and leadership throughout its history with the exception of 2005 through 2009. During this time there was a paid executive director and staff funded by a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

MASBHC was a state chapter and has since gone on to be an official state affiliate of the National Assembly on School Based Health Care. Today, MASBHC is the leading advocacy voice for Maryland’s 77 school based health centers. The organization has been central in supporting funding for school based health centers in Maryland and nationally. Most recently, MASBHC worked with the state’s Medicaid office to change regulations around reimbursement for care in SBHCs and continues to represent the interest of SBHC in ongoing health care reform.